Tomorrow
by HC247
Summary: They were like fire and gasoline. No good for each other, but no good apart either... Intermission fic. Hints of Flinda/Fiyeraba


**Finally had time to write something down. I hope you enjoy and review please? It may make me hate my life a little less :)**

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It should have never come to this.

Seated in the comforts of his private study, Oz's newest Captain of the Guard stared listlessly out of the gilded window. The view was spectacular; no one could have denied that. The skyline of the famed Emerald City rose majestically from the grounds below, the light twinkling celestially when painted against the backdrop of the black night sky. People traveled from every corner of Oz to see it in all of its glory, many spending their entire lives with only their dreams to sustain them. For the great lot of them, this place was the equivalent to heaven on earth.

Once upon a time, he had known one such individual. Years ago, in his university days. A wry smile crossed his lips as her face floated through his mind. She would have had the passion and fire for this place to make even him enjoy himself.

Instead, it had turned into his own personal hell.

_I should have gone with her._

Maybe, if he had, he would be with her at this very moment. The place his heart had secretly longed for when he was too afraid to admit it, too concerned about how his reputation would suffer.

The place it still longed to be five years later.

But, foolishly, he had been too much of a coward to do what he knew deep down was the right thing. He had chastised himself the whole time the two of them had been gone and by the time they were to return, he had convinced himself to throw his hard earned reputation out the window and do what he knew she should have done the day they had freed that ridiculous Lion cub. Finally, everything would be right.

Except, of course, she had never come back. All he remembered was the way he brainlessly held Glinda as she had sobbed out the story, clinging to him as if he were her final lifeline. In a way, he supposed he was. Her best friend had gone from the school outcast to a dangerous rebel in less than a week's time. He was the only other steady person in her life. The only one who had loved her as much as Elphaba had.

Bringing his gaze back to the present, Fiyero allowed himself another sip of brandy as his thoughts continued to live in the past. Glinda hated his newfound habit with a passion, but it was the only way he could escape the life he had never wanted. After the green girl's departure, life at Shiz had exploded with rumors and speculation. In his world, however, life had lost all vigor. He went through the motions like any other, keeping himself closely linked to Glinda out of a sense of duty.

_Then what are you still doing here?_

The Prince chuckled out loud at that thought. He had asked himself that question dozens of time. IN a sense, he reasoned that the same sense of duty that spurred him on to find Elphaba also kept him tied to a woman he didn't love.

No, but that wasn't true.

He did love Glinda; that was as clear as day. While it was true that their relationship had begun on both of their shallowly conceived notions of perfection, as time had passed, a deep affection had developed. She was, after all, his first real relationship that was not based entirely on sexual pursuits. The events that had bonded them had done so deeply and only served to strengthen their connection. After the work day had ended, they could retire to their apartment, strip away the plastered smiles, and talk honestly and openly about what was really going on.

About how much they hated having to put on this façade.

About anything they could possibly do to help.

About how much they missed her.

And even then, the lies never ceased. Because although Glinda knew he missed Elphaba as well, she had no idea how much. She didn't know that he thought about another girl every chance he had, never knew that he woke at night in a cold sweat having dreamed of a lithe green body entwined with his, and couldn't imagine that he had become an even greater pretender than she.

He knew what he should do. Leading her on for, what, four years now? That wasn't how he had wanted it to be. In the beginning, things had been perfect. When things were good, they were great. But lately, another side to their relationship had been revealed. One which had resembled nothing that had once been.

Her constant need to be adored…

"_We love you, Lady Glinda!"_

"_You're an angel!"_

_He had stood on the shadows, his face twisted into disgust. How could she stand there and smile like that when all of Oz spoke so hatefully of someone she loved? Shaking his head, he had retreated back into the palace. Unbelievable…._

His detached and distant behavior…

"_Dearest?"_

_He had turned to see her standing in the doorway. "Are you alright?"_

"_Fine." He had turned away. "I just need some time, Glinda. I'll see you at dinner."_

"_Oh..well, alright. Don't be late. The ambassador from Ix will be joining us."_

_When he didn't answer, he heard only the sound of her retreating footsteps and soft sniffles, and he despised himself a little more._

The constant fights, the same old excuses…

"_How can you stand there and listen to them talk about her like that?"_

_She sighed, "Fiyero, you know I hate it…"_

"_And yet you act like it doesn't bother you in the least!" Spinning away, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Help me understand, Glinda.."_

_She had only looked at the floor, clasping her hands in front of her. "The people….they need someone to look to…for hope…"_

"_But do you have to stand by? You're a public figure, for Oz's sakes. Glinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands! One word and you could turn the tide and you know it."_

"_But the Wizard…"_

"_Hang the Wizard!" he roared, rounding on her. "What you love is the attention. You always have and you always will."_

_Glinda glared, fisting her hands on her hips. "What if I do? Is that so wrong?"_

"_When it comes at the expense of someone you supposedly care about, yes." His eyes flashed. "I'm beginning to wonder if you ever did."_

_Glinda's blue eyes brimmed with tears. "That's not fair, Fiyero."_

"_Yeah?" He took a step in her direction, finger pointed accusingly at her. "Well, neither is what you're doing. To her or to me."_

_He stormed from the room without another word._

That very night, he had packed a back, bound and determined to walk away from this life once and for all. And yet, as he stared at the foolish suitcase, sealed and ready to go, he knew in his heart he couldn't leave Glinda this way.

It wasn't right.

_But is it right to keep lying to her when your heart belongs to another?_

No….it wasn't. And he knew what he had to do.

Releasing a sigh, Fiyero finally stood from his chair and replaced the glass of brandy of the side table. Making his way to his dressing room, his eyes fell on the suitcase, still packed and waiting like an eager child. Running his fingers over the smooth metal, he gripped the handle and rolled it to the door of his room. One stop and he would be on his way.

Thankfully, he was still dressed in the regal uniform hat came with his rank, giving no one any reason to question him. Turning, he made his way out of his study, up the stairs and down the hall. When he reached the last door on the left, he closed his eyes momentarily, gathering the courage to knock.

Glinda answered before he could. "Fiyero?"

His brow rose. "How did you know it was me?"

She shrugged, her blonde curls falling loosely around her face. "I just did. I knew everything about you, darling. I love you."

_Not everything…_ "Ah, Glinda…listen. Can I come in?"

"Of course," Stepping aside, her blue eyes followed him as he moved into the large bedchamber. "Are you alright?"

Breathing in, he sat on the bed. "We need to talk."

"I agree."

"You do?" The surprise was evident in his voice.

"Nodding, she took a seat next to him on the bed. "Yes. I know I should have come to you earlier, Fiyero, and I'm sorry. I never should have said those things."

"What?"

She nodded again. "About Elphaba. You were right, dearest. It's not fair to her or you. I'm trying, I promise. It's just so hard to resist."

He reached for her hands. "Glinda, that's not quite why I'm here…"

She smiled, "How kind of you to say. I know I'm wrong, but what can I do, Fiyero? With the press conference tomorrow, Horrible Morrible is breathing down my neck to establish a certain atmosphere. You know everything has to be perfect."

"You always do a wonderful job, Glinda…"

She rose, beginning to pace about the room. "But I wonder if I'm doing enough. You spend day and night searching for her, but what am I doing? Besides plastering on a smile. It's so hard to be adored, dearest! I miss her so much!"

He rose, coming to stand behind her. "Glinda…."

"Why did she have to leave?" She spun, angry tears coursing down her cheeks. "Didn't she know how much we need her? How much she meant to me? Why did she have to leave? Why does everyone in my life have to leave?"

Launching herself into his arms, Fiyero had little choice but to wrap her tightly in his embrace. His heart broke for the girl in his arms, hardly out of a privileged childhood and thrust into cold world of a public figure. "Shh..Glin, it's okay. I'm here."

Sniffling, she rose her head, eyes red and puffy, but still beautiful. "You are, aren't you. No matter what, I still have you. You'll never leave me, will you dearest."

As she pressed her lips to his, Fiyero felt even more helpless than he had when he had initially knocked on her door. Everything within screamed for his to pull away, to tell Glinda the truth and leave the palace tonight. Yes, she would be hurt, but she would thank him later. If he had one ounce of decency left within him, that was what he would do.

Unfortunately, just as Glinda could not escape the call of adoration, neither could he escape the effects of someone he cared deeply for.

Which is why when Glinda deepened the kiss, whe she begged him to make everything right again, he yielded. When she pressed her soft body, clothed only in a negligée and a thin robe, into his, he reacted as any other lonely man would have. He pushed all thought of Elphaba to the back of his mind and focused his attentions on the woman who needed him, the woman, despite everything, had been his first love.

For once last time, one last night, he gave in and loved the little blonde as if his life depended on it. They clung to one another, two people in need of something that neither quite knew what it was, or perhaps they simply didn't want to face the truth. All thoughts of tomorrow were pushed aside and regrets forgotten as they took comfort in one another as they had so many times before.

After, Fiyero lay awake in the darkness, calling himself every kind of fool. And yet, there was nothing he could do about it. What was done was done. His thoughts drifted to Elphaba and the packed suitcase sitting by his study door. It was too late to do anything tonight. He would stay through the press conference tomorrow, inform Glinda of his decision after all of the pomp and circumstance had passed, and then he would walk away and never look back. He hated himself for having to break her heart, but he couldn't go on living like this. Neither of them deserved that.

But for right now, none of that mattered. Pulling Glinda closer, he pressed a kiss to her brow and silently begged her forgiveness. She may hate him, but at least the lies would end. Everything would be fine.

It had to be.


End file.
